Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Topaz Star, Mingxin Intermediate Academy

As the workday ended, Fang Yaxi (Mentor Fang) packed up her belongings in her office, ready to head home. The military vehicle her husband sent to pick her up was already waiting in the school’s parking lot.

Since the kidnapping attempt a few months ago, when both Fang Yaxi and her son were nearly taken, their family had moved into the military headquarters on Topaz Star, which was heavily guarded, making it impossible for outsiders to infiltrate.

Although the kidnapping threat had not yet been fully resolved, Lin Shanke was now taking his classes online from home.

Fang Yaxi wasn’t restricted from going out, but she was constantly accompanied by a female bodyguard, even at school.

Everyone could see the bodyguard, but what few people knew was that there was also a hidden guard protecting her in the shadows.

This covert guard had been sent by the Crown Prince himself to protect her. Without this secret protection, she might have already been abducted.

It was only at this time that Fang Yaxi realized how difficult Manni’s situation truly was.

Manni was indeed remarkable, but for someone to offer a bounty of one billion credits for her life suggested that it wasn’t just because of her exceptional talent in cultivation. Fang Yaxi suspected it might have more to do with Manni’s mysterious origins.

In this era, for the Hua De family, one of the top ten families in the Gus Empire, to have a direct descendant lost in the outside world without their knowledge clearly indicated foul play. Either they didn’t want to acknowledge the child, or someone had deliberately concealed her identity.

Now, the Hua De family’s attitude toward Manni led Fang Yaxi to dismiss the first reason and confirm the second. After all, the bounty was issued before the Hua De family recognized Manni.

Fortunately, Manni had now returned to her original family, and not only did she receive the family’s protection, but even her entire family benefited from the Hua De family’s support.

Moreover, her husband had also gained from the kidnapping incident. With the backing of the Crown Prince and Colonel Hua De, he had become the de facto highest commander of the military on Topaz Star, although he still held the nominal position of second-in-command.

Becoming a planetary commander, even on a peripheral star, was no small feat. Even in the Imperial Capital, only the head of the Lin family held such significant military power.

With her husband’s success, Fang Yaxi could have taken it easy as a mentor. However, while she was not a strong woman, she also did not enjoy the idle life of a wealthy lady. She preferred to put in the effort for safety rather than hide away at home.

Fortunately, her husband had always supported her, never forcing her to give up the things she loved to do.

Many people laughed at her for being foolish and following her exiled husband into hardship, but they didn’t understand how comforting it was to have a husband with whom she could share her heart, making life so much easier.

Fang Yaxi had just stepped out of her office when a message arrived. Upon seeing it was from the Imperial Capital, a cold smile involuntarily appeared on her usually elegant face.

Years ago, her husband was exiled by the Lin family for their own interests, and the Fang family urged her to divorce him and remarry. Fang Yaxi refused, and as a result, the Fang family severed ties with her. For over twenty years, they had not contacted her once, let alone offer any assistance to the couple.

Now that her husband had turned the tables, not only had the Lin family’s direct line sent someone over to acknowledge kinship, but the Fang family had also frequently contacted her, wanting to “maintain family ties” and hoping she would return to the Imperial Capital to visit.

They didn’t stop to consider what kind of person Lin Changfeng was. Back in those difficult times, he had never bowed his head, and now that he had regained his confidence, it was even less likely he would do so.

Fang Yaxi was in a good mood today, and when her mother called, she answered.

After marrying into the Fang family, her mother’s own family had fallen into decline, leaving her with no say in the Fang household. If it weren’t for her father maintaining two friendships, he wouldn’t even have hesitated to have an affair and divorce her mother. Fang Yaxi and her brother’s childhood could have turned into a struggle against a stepmother.

After Lin Changfeng’s incident, although her mother had also supported Fang Yaxi’s decision to divorce, her motivation was not to encourage a strategic marriage for the Fang family’s benefits, but rather to prevent her from suffering alongside Lin Changfeng. Although her mother was weak and incapable, afraid to protest against her father and brother, she still cared for Fang Yaxi in her own way.

“Yaxi, is it true that your adopted daughter Manni has run into trouble?” Fang’s mother’s voice was filled with urgency.

She knew that the reason her daughter and son-in-law had been able to turn their fortunes around was likely linked to their adopted daughter, Manni.

The news that Manni was the eldest daughter of the Hua De family had spread among the aristocratic families of the Gus Empire.

Although the Fang family was merely a third-tier family in the Imperial Capital, due to Fang Yaxi being Manni’s adoptive mother, some people had informed the Fang family about the situation. The Hua De family had also granted Fang Yaxi’s brother several conveniences because Fang Yaxi was a member of the Fang family.

“Mother, what are you saying?” Hearing her mother say this, Fang Yaxi, who had been worried about Manni, felt a wave of panic wash over her.

“Didn’t you see the news?” Fang’s mother’s voice grew urgent. “Your adopted daughter went to Desolate Star for training a few days ago, and unfortunately, she encountered a massive beast tide. This afternoon, she and the second prince were attacked by assassins, and they both died… This news is all over the sky net…”

Fang Yaxi’s heart sank. Although she didn’t know about Manni’s training trip, the fact that she hadn’t been able to reach Manni for several days had made her uneasy. Hearing her mother say this filled her with fear.

However, Fang Yaxi didn’t want to believe it was true. After all, the second prince and Hua Deqi were who they were; how could they not have sent someone to protect Manni? How could assassins have gotten the chance to approach Manni and the second prince?

Fang Yaxi hurriedly hung up the call with her mother and activated her communicator. The red-hot news alerts immediately popped up, and the headlines were horrifying: “Second Prince and Genius Young Telekinetic Master Assassinated…”

Fang Yaxi stared at the video, watching the blurry yet familiar image of the black-haired girl surrounded by a group of martial artists. She was shot in the heart by a death ray gun, clutching her chest as she fell. Fang Yaxi’s hands began to tremble, and her eyes started to turn red.

Manni was still so young, with a bright and promising future ahead of her. How could this happen? Who could be so cruel as to harm a child?

“Mrs. Lin, please calm down. We can’t trust the information on the sky net about these things,” the female bodyguard accompanying Fang Yaxi said, aware of the situation. Seeing Fang Yaxi nearly collapsing from shock, she hurriedly stepped forward to support her and offered some comfort.

“You’re right. Let’s return to the military headquarters first. Have you received any information?” Fang Yaxi felt a glimmer of hope as she looked at the bodyguard.

This bodyguard had been assigned to her by Mannie’s cousin, Colonel Hua De, so she might know something from the Hua family.

“Not yet, but I know that the young master of the Hua family and the second prince value Miss Manni very highly. They wouldn’t allow something to happen to them like this.”

“You’re correct.” Fang Yaxi felt a bit better and thought of a question.

If Manni really had encountered trouble, her husband wouldn’t wait for her mother to call before informing her; he would have told her immediately.

With this thought in mind, Fang Yaxi decided to return right away to ask her husband.